Pelagic Expedition
A full-day pelagic expedition will take place on Thursday 19th September 2019; it is limited to the first 20 people who register concurrently for both the conference and the pelagic expedition. Meet at Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour at 6:00AM, for 6:15AM departure. The cost is $185 per person.
The pelagic trip is now fully booked. Participants should have received a follow-up email from Dan Mantle.
Pre-conference Excursions in the Perth Region
On both Thursday 19th September and Friday 20th September, BirdLife WA members will be at a number of locations to act as guides for visitors to the BLPBC. It is not necessary to book for these excursions; just be at the meeting place by the starting time shown.
- Lake Monger
Thursday 19th September, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM. Leader: Keith Lightbody, mobile 0407 190 471
Thursday 19th September, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM. Leader: Chris Dalton, Nikon Nikon (Pro Markets Manager), Tim Williams (Product Manager; 0488 490 511), Michael Phillips (State Manager)
Friday 20th September, 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM. Leader: Chris Dalton, Nikon Nikon (Pro Markets Manager), Tim Williams (Product Manager; 0488 490 511), Michael Phillips (State Manager)
Meet at the car park at the end of Dodd Street, which runs off Harbourne Street. The walk around the lake will take 2-3 hours. This is a good opportunity to see many species of ducks, waterbirds, and some bushbirds. Spotless Crake is often seen depending on the water level.
A Birding Guide for this area is available here: Lake Monger
- Herdsman Lake
Thursday 19th September, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM. Leader: Pam Smith
Thursday 19th September, 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM. Leader: Chris Dalton, Nikon Nikon (Pro Markets Manager), Tim Williams (Product Manager; 0488 490 511), Michael Phillips (State Manager)
Friday 20th September, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM. Leader: Pam Smith
Friday 20th September, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM. Leader: Chris Dalton, Nikon Nikon (Pro Markets Manager), Tim Williams (Product Manager; 0488 490 511), Michael Phillips (State Manager)
Friday 20th September, 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM. Leader: David Stowe, Canon
Go to the Maurice Hamer car park. Turn off Pearson Street into Falcon Avenue, then right into Lakeside Road. The car park is on the left, opposite Heron Place. This is one of the waterbird refuges which never dries up and 140 species have been recorded here.
A Birding Guide for this area is available here: Herdsman Lake
- Victoria Dam
Thursday 19th September, 7:30 AM - 10:30 AM. Leader: Ken Glasson, mobile 0419 967 606
Friday 20th September, 7:30 AM - 10:30 AM. Leader: Bill Betts, mobile 04-8 094 412
Go to the car park beside the information board at the entrance to the dam. From Perth, travel east along Welshpool Road and Welshpool Road East to the T-junction at Canning Road, turn right and travel for about 400 m to Masonmill Road. Continue along this road for about 600 m, following the signs to the dam past the rose nursery, to the entrance to the car park. We will follow the walking track down to the dam.
A Birding Guide for this area is available here: Victoria Dam
- Bibra Lake
Thursday 19th September, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM. Leader: Alan Watson, mobile 0439 522 398
Friday 20th September, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM. Leader: Alan Watson, mobile 0439 522 398
Park in the first car park at the southern end of the lake off Progress Drive. This car park is between Hope Road and Gwilliam Drive. Bibra Lake is a part of the Beeliar Wetlands chain and a large number of bushbirds and waterbirds can be seen here. Over 130 bird species have been recorded in this reserve.
A Birding Guide for this area is available here: Bibra Lake
- Alfred Cove Nature Reserve
Thursday 19th September, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM. Mark Davidson, mobile 0408 977 429
Friday 20th September, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM. Leader: Chris Young, mobile 0447 557 003
Go to the carpark at Troy Park, accessed from Burke Drive, nearest Canning Highway. Alfred Cove Nature Reserve forms part of the Swan Estuary Marine Park and is a significant feeding site for migratory waders. The area of samphire within the actual cove is worth checking for feeding birds which are often well-camouflaged by the vegetation. Birds move up and down the shoreline between here and Point Walter and numerous bushbirds make use of trees and shrubs further away from the water. A large number of bird species have been recorded in this reserve.
A Birding Guide for this area is available here: Alfred Cove Nature Reserve
- Wungong Gorge
Thursday 19th September, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM. Leaders: Claire Gerrish and Clive Nealon, mobile 0402 009 462
Park in the first car park for Wungong Dam at the end of Admiral Road, off Albany Highway. Over 90 species of birds have been recorded here including Red-eared Firetail, White-breasted Robin and Red-winged Fairy-wren.
A Birding Guide for this area is available here: Wungong Gorge
Post-conference Excursions in the Perth Region
It is not necessary to book for these excursions; just be at the meeting place by the starting time shown.
- Coodanup, Mandurah
Monday 23rd September, 7:30 AM - 10:00 AM. Leader: Shelley Pearson, mobile 0405 249 729
Go to the carpark at end of John St near the Nairns Bird Hide. Travelling south-east on Pinjarra Rd turn right into Wanjeep St, left into Beacham St, which becomes Peel Parade, and proceed to John St. This is about a 1 hour drive from Fremantle.
There are two Birding Guides for this area: Mandurah, and Wider Mandurah
- Lake Claremont
Monday 23rd September, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM. Leader: David Free, mobile 0488 701 939
Go to the Lake Claremont Golf Club car park off Davies Road, Claremont. Look for waterbirds and bushbirds around this pleasant suburban lake.
A Birding Guide for this area is available here: Lake Claremont
Post-conference Excursions Further Afield
From Monday 23rd September to Wednesday 25th September, BirdLife WA members will be at several locations further away from the Perth region to provide advice and assistance to visitors to the BLPBC. These include:
- Cheynes Beach
Monday 23rd September - Wednesday 25th September. Keith Lightbody, mobile 0407 190 471 Contact also through Cheynes Beach Caravan Park Office; they have heaps of information as to the location of birds.
Cheynes Beach is a fishing village on the edge of Waychinicup National Park, east of Albany. It has a caravan park with cabins as well as caravan and camping facilities. When you book your camp site, please mention that you are with BirdLife Australia. Cabins will be popular for that weekend and there is a minimum 4-day booking, so book early. The Cheynes Beach Caravan Park phone number is 08 9846 1247 and their address is 12 Bald Island Road, WA 6328.
A Birding Guide for this area is available here: Cheynes Beach
- Stirling Range Retreat
Monday 23rd September - Friday 27th September. Pauline Woolley, mobile 0457 367 234 (Birdlife WA Rep): contact via Retreat Office
Stirling Range Retreat is on Chester Pass Road, and has a range of chalets and camping facilities. There are always wildflowers here and it is well-known for its rich diversity of flora and fauna. The area has a long bird list including Western Whipbird, Western Yellow Robin, Rufous Treecreeper, Elegant and Regent Parrots, Owlet Nightjar and Crested Shrike-tit. We will go spotlighting one night and have a BBQ on another night. There are many different habitats in and adjacent to the ranges.
Book your own accommodation at the retreat (phone 08 9827 9229) as soon as possible, as this is a popular area. Visit the Stirling Range Retreat website for details.
- Dryandra
Monday 23rd September - Wednesday 25th September. Peter White, mobile 0487 807 943
Dryandra is one of the most important remnant bushland in the wheatbelt, and has over 100 species of birds including Crested Shrike-tit and Bush Stone-curlew.
Dryandra is 164 km south-east of Perth and 22 km north-west of Narrogin. From Perth, travel down Albany Highway and just past North Bannister turn left to Wandering. Travel 3 km past Wandering and turn into Fourteen Mile Brook Road for 25 km and then turn left into Williams York Road for 3 km. We will be camping at the new campground ‘Gnaala Mia’ and the entry road is almost opposite the Congelin Campground. It is well sign posted. The campsites are on a first-in first-served basis and cannot be booked. There are toilets and gas barbeque facilities. Take your own water.
Other accommodation is available in Narrogin including a caravan park with full services.
A Birding Guide for this area is available here: Dryandra & Narrogin
Self-guided Sites
- Yanchep National Park
Yanchep National Park is about a 1 hour drive north of Fremantle. Park near the Lakeview picnic area inside the Park. There is an entry charge for vehicles. Proceed through the entrance gate and go left at the roundabout where there is a large parking area. There should be a variety of bushbirds and waterbirds. Yanchep National Park is part of the Northern Swan Coastal Plain Key Biodiversity Area for birds including Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoo.
There are two Birding Guides for this area: Yanchep NP Bush Birds, and Yanchek NP Water Birds.
- Rottnest Island
The earliest Rottnest Express leaves at 7:30 am from ‘B’ Shed, Victoria Quay, Fremantle. Advice from the ferry company is to book well in advance through the website, www.rottnestexpress.com.au/book-ferries or 1300 467 688.
Rottnest has a variety of habitats, including the shallow salt lakes, the coast, fresh water swamps, woodland and heath. There are 49 species that are regularly seen and more than 112 when vagrants are included. A Birding Guide is available here: Rottnest Island
You can walk down to the salt lakes where you should have good views of the waders, then across the golf course where pheasants and Red-capped Robins are often seen. A regular bus service travels the Island at a small cost. Most ferries leave the island about 4:00 pm.
- Penguin Island
Catch the ferry from Mersey Point Jetty, off Arcadia Drive, Shoalwater for Penguin Island. The ferries travel hourly between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm. Shoalwater is about 40 minutes drive south of Fremantle.
You can walk to the various places of interest on the island, and if you wish, you can attend the penguin feeding in the DBCA facility housing injured or orphaned penguins (additional cost). Bridled Tern, Little Penguin and Buff-banded Rail are often seen here and it is a haven for nesting sea birds. A Visitor's Guide is available here: Penguin Island
There is a nice picnic area on the island but no shop, so take all food and drink requirements. Also there are nice beaches and it is a good swimming area.
- King's Park, Perth
Leave your vehicle in the car park at the northern end of Forrest Drive, opposite the Pioneer Women’s Memorial in the Botanic Gardens, near the junction of Lovekin Drive. There should be a variety of bushbirds in the area. A Birding Guide is available here: King's Park
- Albany
Albany is not only on the cooler south coast, about 400 km south of Perth, but has excellent bird watching. It has a wide variety of habitats from the ocean (sheltered and open), waders, shorebirds, fresh water lakes and bush birds in many different vegetation types. Albany is central to other birding locations such as Two Peoples Bay, Cheynes Beach, Waychinicup and Torbay and Wilson Inlet. A Birding Guide is available here: Albany
Kalgan River Chalets and Caravan Park: the park telephone number is 08 9844 7937 and their website http://www.caravan-wa.com.au/krccp.html.
You can download a pdf document containing this information here.
Other locations suggested for visits while in Western Australia include:
- Broome Bird Observatory
- Eyre Bird Observatory - limited to 8 people
Conference attendees will need to contact these venues themselves to book accommodation. It is recommended that bookings be made at least 3 months in advance - limited numbers are available at many of these locations.
